Helichrysum plant named ‘Red Jewel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helichrysum  plant named ‘Red Jewel’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching growth habit, bushy growth form; numerous inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane; inflorescence buds that are dark red purple in color; inflorescences with showy dark red purple-colored involucral bracts; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helichrysum×amorginum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RED JEWEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helichrysum plant, botanically known as Helichrysum×amorginum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Jewel’.

The new Helichrysum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Derby, Chaddesden, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new mounding Helichrysum plants with unique and longer-lasting attractive inflorescence color.

The new Helichrysum plant originated from a cross-pollination in March, 2005 in Derby, Chaddesden, United Kingdom, of Helichrysum×amorginum ‘Blorub’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/177,992 (now abandoned), as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Helichrysum×amorginum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Helichrysum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Derby, Chaddesden, United Kingdom in March, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helichrysum plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Derby, Chaddesden, United Kingdom since July, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Helichrysum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helichrysum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Red Jewel’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Jewel’ as a new and distinct Helichrysum plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching growth habit, bushy growth form.     -   4. Numerous inflorescences positioned above and beyond the         foliar plane.     -   5. Inflorescence buds that are dark red purple in color.     -   6. Inflorescences with showy dark red purple-colored involucral         bracts.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Plants of the new Helichrysum differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Blorub’, primarily in inflorescence bud and involucral bract color as plants of ‘Blorub’ have lighter-colored inflorescence buds and involucral bracts. In addition, inflorescences of the new Helichrysum are longer-lasting than inflorescences of ‘Blorub’.

Plants of the new Helichrysum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection primarily in involucral bract color as plants of the male parent selection have yellow-colored involucral bracts.

Plants of the new Helichrysum can also be compared to plants of the Helichrysum×amorginum ‘Pink Sapphire’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,476. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helichrysum differ primarily from plants of ‘Pink Sapphire’ in involucral bract color as plants of ‘Pink Sapphire’ have pink-colored involucral bracts.

Plants of the new Helichrysum can also be compared to plants of the Helichrysum×amorgianum ‘Ember Glow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,600. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helichrysum differ primarily from plants of ‘Ember Glow’ in involucral bract color as plants of ‘Ember Glow’ have light red to orange red-colored involucral bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Helichrysum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Helichrysum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of the female parent ‘Blorub’ (left) and a typical flowering plant of ‘Red Jewel’ (right) grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Red Jewel’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Red Jewel’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 5-liter containers in an outdoor nursery in Bressingham, Norfolk, United Kingdom and under commercial practices typical of Helichrysum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from −3° C. to 15° C. During the winter, plants were grown in a polyethylene-covered tunnel. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helichrysum×amorgianum ‘Red Jewel’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Helichrysum×amorginum ‘Blorub’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.             11/177,992 (now abandoned).         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of             Helichrysum×amorginum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days at temperatures about             18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten weeks at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; color, close to 161B.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching             growth habit and bushy plant form; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Arrangement: Numerous lateral branches             arising in a basal rosette. Length: About 20 cm to 26 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to pendulous. Texture:             Densely pubescent, pannose; with development, woody. Color:             Close to 189C; with development, color becoming closer to             161B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile, amplexicaul.         -   Length.—About 4 cm to 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 189B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 189C. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 189C; venation,             close to 189C. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 189D; venation, close to 189D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Composite inflorescence             form; inflorescences arranged in terminal compound umbels;             involucral bracts arranged acropetally in numerous whorls on             the receptacle; inflorescences borne above and beyond the             foliar plane; uniform and freely flowering habit with about             100 inflorescences developing per plant; inflorescences face             mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 215 days             after planting; in the garden, plants flower continuously             from March to May in the United Kingdom.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences are long-lasting and             can be cut, dried and used as an ever-lasting without the             color fading; inflorescences persistent; on the plants,             inflorescences last about three months.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Orbicular. Color: Close to 59A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Umbel diameter: About 5 cm. Umbel             height: About 5 cm. Single inflorescence diameter: About             1 cm. Single inflorescence height: About 1 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1 mm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 189D.         -   Ray florets.—Ray florets have not been observed to develop             on inflorescences of plants of the new Helichrysum.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: Numerous, massed at             the center of the receptacle. Length: About 2 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Elongated tubular. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, Color, immature: Apex:             Close to 59A. Mid-section: Close to 59B. Base: Close to 59D.             Color, mature: Apex: Close to 59A. Mid-section: Close to             59B. Base: Close to 59C.         -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Quantity per inflorescence:             Numerous, arranged in numerous whorls. Length: About 5 mm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Papery. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 59A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 59B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 59B; color becoming closer             to 59C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 59C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 189C;             color becoming closer to 161B with development.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 189C;             color becoming closer to 161B with development.         -   Reproductive organs.—Present on disc florets only.             Androecium: Quantity per floret: Typically five. Anther             length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Cylindrical. Anther color:             Close to 59C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: Close to             23D. Gynoecium: Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length:             About 2 mm. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style color: Close             to 23C. Stigma color: Close to 23C. Ovary color: Close to             149D.         -   Seeds.—Amount: Sparse. Size: Dust-like. Color: Close to             161D. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helichrysum have been     observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum).     Plants of the new Helichrysum not been observed to be resistant to     pests and other pathogens common to Helichrysum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helichrysum have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −8° C. to about 30° C. Plants of the     new Helichrysum are tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helichrysum plant named ‘Red Jewel’ as illustrated and described. 